Following the summer departure of Mark Warburton, Queens Park Rangers began life under Michael Beale relatively slowly, as they sat on just five points from five Championship outings.
Since then, the Hoops appear to have found some form, having now won three of their last four league games, firstly beating promotion hopefuls Watford 3-2 away from home as Albert Adomah netted the decisive goal in the 70th minute after leads through Ilias Chair and Chris Willockwere cancelled out.
They then hosted Hull City and made it back-to-back wins with Chair and Willock again on the scoresheet either side of an Ethan Laird goal but would fall short in the following trip to Swansea City as Joel Piroe’s first-half goal made the only difference.
Following the postponement of all Championship fixtures last weekend, the Hoops would return to action with a trip to Millwall on Wednesday, and after a goalless first half, they eventually went ahead through Willock before Stefan Johansen wrapped up a 2-0 win with a second in the 71st minute.
Now sitting ninth after that impressive away triumph, with just a one-point gap up to third place, Beale’s men will look to make it four wins in a span of five games and break into the top six on Saturday.
They welcome a Stoke City side who will also look to build on a victory in midweek, their first under the management of Alex Neil at the third time of asking.
After a defeat to Sunderland left them on just four points from five outings, the Potters hierarchy opted to dismiss Michael O’Neill and swoop for Neil, but he had to wait for a first game in charge, instead watching from the stands as Lewis Baker fired them to a 1-0 win away at Blackburn Rovers.
Following the confirmation of his appointment, the Scotsman would first take charge at home to Swansea City, and they would only take a 1-1 draw thanks to Tyrese Campbell’s injury-time equaliser, before falling short away at Reading as Lucas Joao hit a goal in each half to overpower Ben Wilmot’s 40th-minute leveller.
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With last weekend’s postponements extending Neil’s wait for a first victory, they returned to action in search of a confidence-boosting win away at Hull City
and went into half time 2-0 up thanks to goals from Baker and Wilmot, before the former capped off a dominant display with his second and the Potters’ third 26 minutes from time.
Now on the back of a comprehensive win and a clean sheet, Stoke will look to kick on with a second straight triumph at Loftus Road on Saturday with the chance to quickly move into the top half.
